Head of School Kinneret Day School

Kinneret Day School seeks a Head of School to serve as its executive, educational and administrative leader, who will oversee day-to-day school operations with skill, passion, and compassion.
Kinneret’s Head of School will work closely with the Assistant Principal and executive staff to fulfill the mission of the school.

Kinneret Day School Profile
Kinneret Day School provides students from across the spectrum of Jewish practice with a cutting-edge education in a small and nurturing environment. KDS serves students in Nursery through eighth grades, and has a proven record of excellence in both Judaic and secular studies. Kinneret has an enrollment of approximately 200 students and a faculty of 45 teachers representing a wide range of age and experience. Since 1949, Kinneret has been a leader in imparting in its graduates and families pride in Jewish tradition and the Jewish homeland in addition to a strong sense of hard work and responsibility to impact the Jewish and broader world.
Over 80% of KDS graduates are consistently accepted to the best specialized high schools in NYC. Our program includes Hebrew immersive culture and curriculum, a nurturing early childhood program emphasizing learning through play, and sophisticated classes that encourage maturity, independence, and critical thinking. KDS has an economically, religiously, and demographically diverse population, and offers affordable tuition.
Kinneret is a small school where students of all ages interact with one another and work together to make up our unique school community.
In addition to a rigorous curriculum, Kinneret offers extracurricular activities such as Shakespeare Society, STEM, soccer and a robust after school activity program. Kinneret stands out as a community committed to diversity, humility and rigor.

Kinneret Day School Mission
We aim to educate our students to be citizens of the world, to contribute meaningfully to the Jewish community, and to be prepared for the challenges they will face. We encourage children to explore creatively and to develop independently in a safe, supportive, familial environment. By maintaining an emphasis on community and partnership, we teach students to treat each other with respect, to work as a team, and to acknowledge each other’s strengths and abilities. By working with each child individually, we empower students to treat themselves with respect, to do their best, and to value their own strengths and abilities.

Kinneret has always been a small school, which allows us to maintain an atmosphere of close connections that lead to lifelong friendships and deeply held mentoring relationships. Kinneret students are taught not only to strive to fulfill their own potentials but to recognize that, together, we can change the world for the better.

Head of School Job Responsibilities
The next leader of KDS will minimally hold a graduate degree and have at least 7-10 years of experience in school settings. Fluency in Hebrew and a strong background in Judaic Studies is strongly preferred.
Salary Range $175,00-$210,000 commensurate with experience.
Our next leader will:
Foster a workplace characterized by respect, teamwork, enthusiasm, and adherence to Jewish ethical standards.
Work in conjunction with the staff in supervising and scheduling school programs (academic, social/emotional, athletic, and other extracurricular programs); monitor curriculum, grading, testing, and reporting to parents; prepare for, and conduct, periodic program evaluations; submit reports to external agencies as required; implement disciplinary policies and standards of conduct.
Oversee and approve all matters regarding employment, retention, and dismissal of personnel, including salaries and contracts, job assignment, performance evaluation, orientation and training.
Collaborate with the BOD and oversee and ensure financial viability of Kinneret.
Exercise financial prudence in all school operations.
Recommend and present financial plans, priorities and annual budgets.
Participate in the school’s fundraising efforts.
Oversee admissions through the recruitment of new students and the retention of existing ones.
Provide adequate training and professional development for all school employees.
Oversee schoolwide scheduling.
Be responsible for maintaining state and citywide standards for the school.
Work with the DOE, outside providers, and school staff to accommodate students with varying learning styles and special services needs.
Oversee and help promote academic placement of graduates.
Oversee security plan, harassment policy and other ongoing policies as needed.
Oversee strategy for marketing and public relations.
Ensure and oversee the maintenance of the physical plant.
Develop and implement strategies to advance our institution.
Act with a sense of ownership for the institution and the community.
Be the voice of the school and represent it in community programs and committees.

About Riverdale
Kinneret is located in Riverdale, NY, a unique Jewish community 20 minutes from the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Not only does Riverdale have a strong Orthodox, Conservative and Reform community, it also has a strong representation of Israelis and Jews from all over the world. From Day Schools, to synagogues, to restaurants, Riverdale offers all the amenities of a strong Jewish community in North America. In a world where Jewish unity is sadly challenging and rare, through the Riverdale Jewish Community Partnership and other initiatives, Riverdale stands out as a place where community leaders work in sync in order that every voice of the Jewish community is valued and respected.

To apply to be our next Head of School, please send a cover letter and resume to our search partner Amy Wasser, Senior Director Field Advancement at Prizmah, Center for Jewish Day Schools.